Safety scaffold grip and belt



J. FRANKEL 2,333,646

D GRIP AND BELT Filed Jan. 16, 19 42 SAFET! SCAFFOL 3 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR. Jack 50/: He!

ATTORNEY Nov. 9, 1943. .1. FRANKEL SAFETY SCAFFOLD GRIP AND BELT 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 16. 1942 Il II II Jae/r I l' u I u "J I IN VENTOR flea/(e! Nov. 9, 1943. F AME; 2,333,646

SAFETY SCAFFOLD GRIP AND BELT Filed Jan. 15. 1942 s Shets-Sheet 3lnuimmlifmim mum , 1 N VEN TOR. Jae/f Fran/ e1 A r ramvzr Patented Nov.9, 1943 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE SAFETY SCAFFOLD GRIP AND BELT JackFrankel, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application January 16, 1942, Serial No.427,020

4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a life savingdevice.

More specifically, the invention proposes the construction of a noveltype of clamp for use in a life saving device for persons working inelevated positions on scafiolds and the like and arranged in a manner tobe engageable with a safety belt and an adjacent guy rope.

Still further it is proposed to characterize the clamp by abrackethaving a'iixed jaw engageable against one side of the guy ropeand slidably supporting a movable jaw arranged in a manner to beengageable against the guy rope on the side opposed to the side engagedby the fixed jaw.

A further object of the invention proposes a novel means for supportingthe movable jaw upon the bracket in a manner to be movable to wards thefixed jaw for rigidly gripping the guy rope.

It is still further proposed to provide a novel means for moving theslidab-ly mounted jaw towards the fixed jaw and which is arranged in amanner to permit the clamping action to be quickly effected.

- For further comprehension of this' invention,

and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to thefollowing description and accompanying drawings, and to the appendedclaims in which the various novel features of the invention are moreparticularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is,a perspective view illustrating a man standing upon a scaffoldand using a life saving device constructed in accordance with thisinvention. p I

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled life saving device per se.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the bracket and associated parts per se.I

Fig. lis an end elevationalview of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan View of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line i-l of Fig.3.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 9-2 of Fig. 5 L

Fig. 10 is an extended elevational view of waist engaging belt per se.

Fig. his a rear elevational vie the the

the

I of a clamp constructed in accordance with a modification of thisinvention.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line i3-|3 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 14 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line I l-4 of Fig.11. p

The life saving device, in accordance with this invention, includes abelt Ill for engagement about the waist of a person operating from asuspended scafiold H. The belt I8 is of conventional construction andincludes a buckle W. on one end. The buckle l2 has a pivotal tongue l3selectively engageable with one of a plurality of openings formed in theother end of the belt. Attached to spaced positions along the length ofthe belt Ill there is provided a pair of leg engaging straps 15 whichare arranged to engage the top of the wearers legs immediately adjacentthe crotch. The positioning of the belt Hi and straps l5 upon the Waistof a person is clearly illustrated in Fig. lot the drawings.

A clamp I6 is adapted to be attached to the belt Iii and a guy rope llprojected, downwards adjacent the scaffold ll. Theclamp I5 ischaracterized by a bracket l8 having a pair of forwardly extending eyeportions i9. 'Each of the eye pieces is provided with a downwardly extending fastening means by which the bracket 88 is attached to the belt10.

Each of the fasteningmeans is characterized by a flexible cableprojected through and having its ends secured to a rigid tube member 2iwhich acts to encase the cables. Mounted upon each of the cablesadjacent the lower end of the tube members 2! there is a clamp 22 havinga spring closed jaw 23. These clamps 22 are engaged with complementaryrings 24 securely mounted upon the belt ii! at points adjacent thestraps l5.

At one end the bracket 18 is integrally formed with a rearwardlyextending jaw portion 25. This jaw portion 25is arranged to extend alonga side portion of the guy rope ll.

The other end of the bracket l2 slidably supports a complementary jawmember 26 arranged to extend along the other side of the side portion ofthe guy rope ll which is engaged by theijaw member 25. The adjacentfaces of the jaw members 25 and 26 are formed with verticallyextendingsemi-circular cut-outs 21 arranged to engage about the guy rope l'l. Thesurfaces of the cut-outs 21 are provided with a plurality of serrations28 for roughening these surfaces to more securely grip the guy rope l'l.

The jaw member 26 is substantially U-shaped in formation and has itsarms extending around a rearwardly extending lug 29 formed on thebracket I8. Each of the arms of the jaw member 26 is provided with areduced portion provided with a laterally extending slot 30. A bolt 3!extends through each of the slots 30 and threadedly engages into thebracket I8 forming the slidable support for the jaw member 26.

A means is provided for moving the slidable jaw 25 into and out oroperative position with relation to the fixed jaw 25. This means ischaracterized by a screw 32 threadedly engaged through an opening formedin the lug 29. The

outer end of the screw 32 is provided withan'en larged head 33 securelyheld in position by means of apin 34. Thehead 33 provides a means bywhich the screw is adapted to beturn'ed. @h'e inner end of the screw 32is rotatively attached to the jawmember'ilfi at a position between theside arms thereof. To accomplish this attachment the inner end of thescrew is extended i-ntoanopening 35 formed in the jaw member 26. A -pin"36 is projected inwards from oneface -of the jaw member 26 and engagesinto a complementary circular groove formed on the portion of the screw32 which is projected into the openingtt. Thus, as the head 33 is turnedthe screw 32 will rotate relative to thejaw-m'e'mber 28. :As the-screw32 rotates it will move in one direction :or theother due to itsthreaded engagement with the lug .29 and correspondingly move the jawmember 26 relative to thej aw mern be r 2'5.

The operation of thisform of the invention is as follows:

A person about to workupona scaffold similar to that shown at H on thedrawing, engages the belt about his waist. The straps iware then engagedabout the top of -ithellegs. The clamps 22 of the clamp are then engagedwith the rings '24 mounted upon'thelbelt tt. The guy rope H is thenengaged between the jawmembers :and 26 of the clamp 46. The head 33 i'sthenirotated to move the ja-wmember 26 towards the jaw member 25'and"-clamp .theiguyirope in position between the adjacent faces *of thejaw members. With the life saving device assembled it willbe noted thatit is practically impossible tofal-l to the ground in the event"the-person using the same loses his footing on the scaffold, "or .ifone of the ropes supporting the scaffoldshould break.

From an inspection 'of Figs. land 2 it will be noted that the featuresof the construction-resides in the fact that the open edge of thejawmembers 25 and 261s directed to'the rear =or im-.

mediately adjacent the wearers body making it easy for the wearer toobserve the engagement of the jaw members 25 and 2Bwiththe guy rope.

In the modification of the invention :shown in Figs. 11 and 14 theconstruction of the'rclampjt is similar to that previously describedexcept for the provision of a slightly diif ere'nt :manner' ofsupporting the jaw member '26 which is engageable with the fixed jawmember 25.

'In this form of the invention the"jaw"meinber 2t is U-shaped 'information and engages about a fiXedlug 29 "formed on the bra'cket iii. Aihollow casing (it of sheet metal "construction is mounted upon thebracket 18 and acts to slidably support the jaw meinbertt. The casingi!) is securelymounted in p i n upon the bracket 18 by means of screwsM. In this form :or the invention only one extending eye portion "-19""is shown projecting from the bracket" l8.

In other respects this' form of the invention States Letters Patent is:

l. A life saving device for persons working in "an elevatedpo's'itionnear a guy rope having a satetybelt for engagement on a persons body andconnected with a clamp for engaging said guy rop'epsaid clamp,comprising a bracket having-a rearwardly extending integral jaw portionfor extending along a side portion of said guy rope, a jaw membercomplementary to said :jaw portion for extending' along the other side'otsaid side portion of "said :rope, a ring projecting rearwards fromsaid bracket, 'ssaid jaw smemb'er being substantially -U'-Ishaped andhaving. its

- arms ienga'g'ingesaid Jugto; limitmovement of .said

jaw amem-ber towards and away from said Pjaw portion, a manuallyturnable screw threadedly engaging through said lug and. rotatively:connected with said :jawimember'to "movesa'idjaw member relative "tosai'd'ijawr portion, and means for holding :said ,j'aw member inposition- 'on' said bracket and :leaving "the adjacent portion 'ofsaidjawportion a ndejaw member free to' be :watched as said jaw member ismoved towardse'sa'rid ciaw portion to insure proper g'gripp'ingof theguy rope which is passing between said adjacent portions, comprisingscrews passing freely'th-rough elongated slots'f-ormed' in the arms ofsaid jaw member and threadedly engaging complementary openings formed insaid bracket.

2. .A' life saving device for persons working in an elevated {positionnear a guy 'ropehaving a safety belt for engagement-on a-person s bodyand connected with a clamp for engaging said guy rope, said clamp,comprising a bracket having a rearwardly extending-integral jaw pontionfor extending along a side .portion of said-guy rope, .a. jawmember-complementary to saidjaw porti-on'forextending -along theother-side .of said side porticnof said .guy rope, .a lug projectingrearwards from said bracket, said. jaw member being substantiallyU-shape'd andliaving its arms engaging said lug "to limit-movement ofsaidjaw 'member towards and away from said jaw portion,

a manually turnable screw threadedly engaging through "said lug androtatively connectedwi'th said jaw member to move said jawmemb'enrelative to said jaw'porti'onja'nd means for"hdlding said jawmember in position'onsaid 'bracketand leaving the adjacentportion "of"said -jawfpoition and jaw member free to be waltehed-assaid'jaw memberis moved towards *said jaw-=-portion to insure proper grippingo'fthe'guyrope which is "passing between said adjacent-"portions, eomprisingscrews' passing'freel-y through elongated "slots formed 'in' thearmsofsaidjawmember and threadedly engaging complementary =openingsformed in said bracket, said'arms' aft the-pdints where said screws passthereth'roughflbeingcut awa'y reducing the thickness-o'f-saidarms'pern'iitting screws of shorter length to be usedfor mounting saidjawmemberposition.

3. A life saving devioe' i'o'r 'e'rs'ons fworkingin an elevated position?near' 'a gu'y dope having a,

safety belt for engagement on a persons body and connected with a clampfor engaging said guy rope, said clamp, comprising a bracket having arearwardly extending integral jaw portion for extending along a sideportion of said guy rope, a jaw member complementary to said jaw portionfor extending along the other side of said side portion of said guyrope, a lug projecting rearwards from said bracket, said jaw memberbeing substantially U-shaped and having its arms engaging said lug tolimit movement of said jaw member towards and away from said jawportion, a manually turnable screw threadedly engaging through said lugand rotatively connected with said jaw member to move said jaw memberrelative to said jaw portion, and means for holding said jaw member inposition on said bracket and leaving the adjacent portion of said jawportion and jaw member free to be watched as said jaw member is movedtowards said jaw portion to insure proper gripping of the guy rope whichis passing between said adjacent portions, comprising a metallic castingmounted on said bracket and in which said jaw member is slidably engagedand screws engaging through portions of said casting and threadedlyengaging complementary openings formed in said bracket at the sides ofsaid jaw member,

4. A life saving device for persons working in an elevated position neara guy rope having a safety'belt for engagement on a persons body andconnected with a clamp for engaging said guy rope, said clamp,comprising a bracket having a rearwardly extending integral jaw portionfor extending along a side portion of said guy rope, a jaw membercomplementary to saidjaw portion for extending along the other side ofsaid side portion of said guy rope, a lug projecting rearwards from saidbracket, said jaw member being substantially U-shaped and having itsarms engaging said lug to limit movement of said jaw member towards andaway from said jaw portion, a manually turnable screw threadedlyengaging through said lug and rotatively connected with said jaw memberto move said jaw member relative to said jaw portion, and means forholding said jaw member in position on said bracket and leaving theadjacent portion of said jaw portion and jaw member free to be watchedas said jaw member i moved towards said jaw portion to insure propergripping of the guy rope which is passing between said adjacentportions, said jaw member being formed with an opening into which theinner end of said screw extends, a pin pror' jected inwards from oneface of said jaw member and engaging a complementary circular grooveformed in the inner end of said screw forming the rotative connectionbetween said screw and jaw member.

JACK FRANKEL.

